Tree processing vehicles are used in various applications involving processing of trees, such as land clearing (e.g., for property development), right-of-way clearing, creation and maintenance of parks and trails, orchard pruning, forest fire management, etc. These vehicles typically have a tree processing implement for processing (e.g., cutting, shredding, grappling) tree materials, which can range from standing large trees to small trees (e.g., those making up brushwood, tree stumps and roots, etc.).
One type of tree processing vehicle, sometimes referred to as a “mulcher”, is propelled by a pair of tracks and comprises a tree processing implement mounted to a pair of arms pivotally movable to controllably raise and lower the tree processing implement in order to process trees at various processing heights, in particular to shred portions of trees through downward shredding strokes of the tree processing element. An operator cabin includes controls allowing an operator to control the tree processing vehicle, both to drive the tree processing vehicle and to operate the tree processing element.
The operator cabin is often associated with a number of problems. For example, the operator cabin has a front side defining an access opening through which the operator can enter or exit the cabin upon opening a door serving to close the access opening. The access opening is located on the front side of the operator cabin primarily because of the arms which pass along lateral sides of the operator cabin as they are pivoted. However, as the tree processing implement is located in front of the tree processing vehicle, this location of the access opening on the front side of the operator cabin can make it inconvenient, difficult and/or hazardous for the operator to enter or exit the cabin. In addition, the operator cabin is typically located on the tree processing vehicle in such a way that it can make it difficult and/or impossible for an operator, mechanic or technician to access certain mechanical components of the vehicle for maintenance and/or repair operations, without disassembling and removing part or all of the operator cabin from the vehicle.
Accordingly, there is a need for improvements in tree processing vehicles, in particular for operator cabins of such vehicles.